I'm proud of myself (sorta). I figured out what's going to happen and I'd like to start this with a disclaimer, because I find that I don't usually do those even though I should.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
Good. This one's sort of short, but I want to say that these chapters coming up are... a little violent. Broken arms, blood, and... death. And because of the death, I want to apologize ahead of time if I kill anyone's favorite character. I'm sorry. I just... *sigh*. I mean, I promise you there's a happy ending at least, but... I'm done now. R&R with constructive criticism and specific encouragement pls. Thanks!
P.S. No promises that any of the chapters are going to be published along my 'every Saturday' timeline because... Finals are hard and time consuming.
Sheik's breath flew from her lungs as a giant shadow loomed over them all. It was a black shadowy bulk and flanking it on either side was Master Hand and Crazy Hand.
Ike flipped off of them and Sheik scrambled to her feet, her wide eyes fixed on the huge shadowy bulk.
"You were trying to conspire against us? Against the authorities?" Master Hand's voice was grave and angry.
Crazy Hand cackled as his fingers wiggled in the air. "Fools! FOOLS!" His voice rose to a shrieking laugh. "Like anyone could defeat us! The master is too smart for you! If we were unbeatable as a human man, how much more so as two large, disembodied hands!" He laughed harder.
Sheik's pupils grew smaller as her eyes widened in alarm. Crazy Hand wasn't named because he was silly. He was actually insane.
Master Hand, who had seemed the sterner of the two, was laughing now as well, his laughter deep and ominous and… victorious. As if he had already won.
"Are you truly the authorities?" Marth challenged in a loud voice, stepping forward and unsheathing his sword, his eyebrows knit furiously.
"Marth, watch it!" shouted Ike, jumping forward to knock his fellow sword fighter out of the way. Crazy Hand, who had been prepared to grab up the bluenette, took the burly one instead.
"Ike!" shrieked Sheik, surprised at the terror in her voice. She dashed forward with a cry and leapt up, striking Crazy Hand on the left pinky with a kick powered by adrenaline. Feeling herself pulled down by gravity, she grabbed the finger and held on with all her might.
There was a rush of air beside her and she glanced to the right as Cloud leapt past her, his huge sword out. With a spin his blade swung out, slicing Crazy Hand on the wrist. The wound spurted black blood and the screech was deafening.
Sheik was shaken loose and landed lightly on her feet, eyebrows knit and eyes earnest as Ike slammed down beside her. He appeared shaken up, but not hurt otherwise. "Crazy Hand! Do you ever bathe?" he taunted, pulling up his sword in a counter.
"Ike, stop being ridiculous!" Sheik scolded, smacking him as she readied her needles.
"You dealt him a blow, Cloud!" shouted Samus. "That's just what we need. Oh no! Sheik!"
Sheik ducked as Master Hand swung down to grab her. She leapt lightly back, her red eyes narrowed; heart pounding in her chest. And something grabbed her around the chest, pinning her arms to her sides.
"Sheik!" bellowed Ike. He dashed forward with his sword, but as Crazy lifted her, she knew he couldn't help. With a strangled cry she felt herself hurled through the air. Desperate to regain her balance, she flipped once. But the ground was approaching too fast. And somehow she knew it would hurt.
Tucking her feet in at the last moment, she turned her body and hit the ground, tumbling over until she lay still in the grass. She opened her eyes slowly and gritted her teeth. There was a pounding in her head and her whole body ached. It refused to move as she tried to summon enough strength to rise. Not too far away she saw the suited Samus fire a missile at Crazy Hand. The sun glinted off her cannon and it made Sheik dizzy.
Her vision blurred, and when it cleared she found Zero Suit bending over her. "Sheik?" Her voice was filled with worry and fear. "This is different," she whispered.
"We're not in the portals," murmured Sheik, again trying to rise. This time she gained her feet and Zero Suit shot out a hand to steady her. "It's different," the masked girl continued. "Like Link said… We can actually die."
The words sunk in and the blue eyes stared into the red ones. "Sheik, you're hurt," Zero Suit said. "Run to the mansion. We can defeat these hands."
Sheik shook of Samus' supporting arm. "No. I'm going to stay. I'm going to kill them. I'm going to kill Master, Crazy, and that black blob called Core! Got it!" She was yelling now and with a grunt of determination she shoved Samus aside and raced full tilt back to the fight.
Not much had happened. The smashers were desperately trying to fight the hands and wound them. But Cloud's strike was still the only cut visible. The Hands could float and were using this flying ability to their great advantage.
Sheik stood by Peach. The princess was holding her parasol defensively, her blonde eyebrows knit. "Sheik? Is this my fault?" her voice was pitiful.
"No," Sheik responded firmly. "It's… their fault."
"He's coming for you!" Marth exclaimed, whirling in their direction.
Sheik leapt away as Master Hand hurtled towards them, laughing victoriously. With a handspring and flip she landed on her feet and held her hands at the ready. They dropped as she saw Peach, still standing in place, her blue eyes wide. Her umbrella hung by her side uselessly.
"Peach!" She started forward to try and protect her, but she knew she'd be too late.
With a roar Cloud slid across the grass, under Master, and came up right in front of Peach. "Run, princess!" he ordered stolidly.
She obeyed, tripping over her skirt as she fled. Sheik stopped short as Master Hand slowed and turned slightly.
"He's going to grab Cloud!" she yelled, dashing forward again. She stretched out a wild hand to try and catch hold of him, but her fingers only grazed his boot as he was grabbed in the white fingers and lifted into the air.
Sheik's desperate eyes scanned the area. Where were the others? Peach was hightailing it for the mansion. Both Samuses were slowly approaching the black cloud; Master Core. Ike and Marth were engaged with Crazy Hand. She was practically alone.
A scream of pain erupted from Cloud and Sheik's heart stopped as he was dropped by Master. He landed with a sickening thud on the grassy dirt and lay still.
"Cloud!"
No, he wasn't really her friend and they had rarely spoken, but he was a smasher and… Sheik had never experienced death on that level.
She raced forward and crashed to her knees beside him. His icy eyes were open and staring straight at her. "Arm," he breathed so softly she almost didn't here him.
Praises, he wasn't dead. Her hands shook as she saw the sticky blood on his arm. And the white of the bone that protruded from his skin. "What do I do?" she whimpered.
"Don't… die," he gasped, his breathing fast and in short bursts. She felt his chest. His heart was pounding against his rib cage.
She remembered Master and her stomach dropped as she looked up, eyes searching the sky. But he wasn't in the sky. He was knocking Marth over with a thumb, and Ike was failing to protect him, and Samus was firing her missile. And Crazy was shooting towards her and Cloud.
"Cloud!" she shrieked. "Crazy's coming!"
"Take my sword," he murmured.
She looked at the large bladed weapon and snatched it up. It was heavy, but she was strong. She swung it up and rested it on her shoulder as Crazy came closer. His shrieking cackle was unnerving, but she bit her lip beneath her mask and clenched the handle tighter.
"Now!" Cloud exclaimed.
With a cry of rage she swung out the blade and felt it collide with the deformed hand. Black blood spurted out of the wound in the hand's palm and some sprayed onto her clothes. She didn't care in the least. Because Crazy's scream of pain froze her. She couldn't move. Red eyes wide, unblinking, she stood there; the sword falling to the ground, as she stared at him.
Crazy's scream echoed and reechoed off the mansion. Her hands shook as he fell to the ground. But the fingers, like legs on an animal, pushed him up and he came towards her. As his forefinger struck her in the stomach she blinked and the spell of his shriek was broken. She fell backwards on her behind and he came closer. As she tried to leap to her feet she saw Cloud gather himself up, grab the sword with his unharmed arm, and swing out with a strangled cry of pain and fury. The sword stayed imbedded in the hand and Crazy let forth another scream. But Sheik was not frozen this time.
She jumped up and watched as he slowly dissolved until he was only a puddle of black blood. "Cloud," she whispered. "You've killed him."
He was lying back on the ground now, eyes closed; breathing shallow. "Good," he gasped.
Well, the only one who's died so far is Crazy Hand, which is a good sign, right? Poor Cloud, too. Isn't he brave? Sheik, too. BTDubs, no romantic connection between those two.